


Just a bit of research

by LittleMissKnowItAll



Category: The Middle
Genre: Episode Tag, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Hecks at a movie, M/M, Season/Series 07, episode 15
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-06
Updated: 2016-06-06
Packaged: 2018-07-12 16:57:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7114456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleMissKnowItAll/pseuds/LittleMissKnowItAll
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s been two weeks. Two weeks since the third unit shot, two weeks since Axl and Sean found out they were each other’s first kiss, two weeks since that awkward high five….and two weeks since they last saw each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just a bit of research

**Author's Note:**

> I'm normally more of a reader than a writer when it comes to fanfics, but I just couldn't help myself ;)
> 
> Hope you guys like it! 
> 
> Feel free to comment or tell me about new fic ideas. I'd do anything for the Donaheck fandom <3

It’s been two weeks. Two weeks since the third unit shot, two weeks since Axl and Sean found out they were each other’s first kiss, two weeks since that awkward high five….and two weeks since they last saw each other. 

Sean had left the evening of the movie, saying he needed to do some yoga and soul cleansing and that he couldn’t do it at the Donahue’s. Axl had just nodded like he understood completely, before closing the door in Sean’s face and going back to his room. Sean had looked odd, his face open and full of unspoken things and Axl…Well, Axl wasn’t ready for that yet. Not for any possible scenario, good or bad. He wasn’t ready yet to think about that first kiss, wasn’t ready to think about the feelings he got when talking about it and he sure as hell wasn’t ready to joke about it yet. Axl was, for the first time in his life, speechless. 

But that was two weeks ago. Two long weeks in which Axl hadn’t been able to forget it. In fact, he had barely thought about anything else. He lay in bed most of the time, spend some nights on the roof and, if he really had to, he’d drag himself into the kitchen to grab a bag of take out, before retreating back to his room. Brick only came in to sleep or grab some books, his mom checked up on him a couple of times but stayed quiet. Everyone had left him alone actually, it was very unlike them. Everyone except Sue, of course. The first evening, Sue had knocked on his door. And the second. And the third. After a week, Axl had let her in. They just sat together in silence for a while, Sue waiting for Axl to speak and Axl waiting for Sue to leave. It was quite nice actually, having Sue there while in his head he was freaking out. Sue was a good sister. Not that he’d ever tell her that. 

Axl was done moping around though, done with the quiet, done with the whole family tiptoeing around him but mostly, he was done with Sean’s indifference towards the whole situation. They had kissed! Their first one, the kisses they’d bragged to each other about. And Axl couldn’t help but think about that kiss, that first kiss and the possibility of another. He wasn’t sure if it was curiosity or something more, he just knew he needed to kiss Sean again. And soon, because he really loved sleeping and so far, he hadn’t even gotten 4 hours a night.

Getting up, Axl dragged his feet towards the bathroom. He needed a shower. Hell, he even needed a shave! After quickly brushing his teeth and picking out a decent smelling shirt, he made his way into the kitchen. Everyone had gone off to work and school, so he was home alone. Perfect, he did not need an audience for his next phone call. God, was he really that desperate to hear Sean’s voice? Why not text, the voice inside his head asked but he simply ignored it. Fishing the phone out of his pocket, he quickly scrolled through it until he found Sean’s name and hit the call button.

Beep….beep….beep…”Hello?” Came a gruff sounding voice. Damn, Axl thought, he must’ve been sleeping. Oh god, please tell me he’s alone!

Awkwardly, Axl replied: “Hey Sean. It’s, it’s Axl! Uhm, axe man? *cough* Um, yeah, it’s Axl”

Mentally slapping himself, Axl relaxed as he heard the smile in Sean’s voice. “Hey man, what’s up my friend?” 

“Oh, you know. Not much, just chilling. I was wondering when you’d be back though. Just, you know, wanted to go out, need my wingman” Axl cringed at his own attempt to act casual. 

“I’m not sure that’s for me anymore, lying to those innocent girls. Sorry man, ask Darrin”, Sean replied, sounding a bit deflated. Where had the smile in his voice gone?

Axl thought fast before deciding to just come out with it, “Can we still meet though?”

“Are you alright? Is something wrong? That’s why you’re calling, isn’t it? Someone died” Sean started rambling.

“No man, I just didn’t feel like texting. Typing all those words, too much work”, Axl laughed awkwardly before continuing, “You free tonight?”

“Yeah sure, I can be at your parents by 7? Are you sure you’re okay though?”

“Perfect, see you tonight!” Axl said quickly before hanging up, not bothering answering Sean. Cursing himself, he turned towards the clock. Five more hours to go. Chuckling softly, Axl noticed he felt giddy, nervous. A bit like his first date. And it was, it was a bit like a first date. Even if Sean didn’t know yet.

+++++++++

A knock on the door made Axl jump up from his bed. He’d gone to lay back down again when the rest of the family had started coming home, not feeling like talking to anyone. He’d actually pretended to sleep when his mom came to check on him, his blanket pulled up high over his head so she wouldn’t see his freshly washed hair or clean shaven face.  
Almost running towards the door, he shot his family a quick glance before stepping out, closing the door behind him on his way out. In the rush, he bumped into the guy on the other side of the door.

‘Oompf!’

Trying to keep his balance, Axl grabbed the first thing in sight. Sean’s arm. “Sorry dude, you ok?” Looking down at his position, he quickly let go as he stepped back. Axl noticed Sean still wore that dorky beanie, which he secretly loved. He also noticed Sean’s beard, which had definitely had a trim in the past two weeks. 

“Expecting someone else?” Sean asked confused.

“No man, sorry. It’s just, the family, you know. There’s so many of ‘em, I just needed to get out before I got another chore” Sean nodded as he started walking away from the house as Axl silently complimented himself on the most convincing performance of his life. 

“My parents aren’t home, we can go over there. I checked the fridge, there’s some beer in there.”

Perfect, Axl thought as he nodded enthusiastically and followed Sean to the house.  
Sitting down, a cold beer in hand, Axl’s nerves came swirling back. He took a swig, nearly choking on the mix of beer and butterflies in his body. 

“You ok man?” Sean asked concerned, coming up behind Axl and putting a hand on his shoulder. 

No, no Axl was not ok! “Yeah, just drowning a bit.” Axl said lamely as Sean nodded and sat down next to him. 

A comfortable silence filled the air. This is it, Axl thought to himself before turning towards Sean. “I want proof’, he started. “You say you’re a better kisser now, I know I’m a much better kisser now and so, you know. I want proof. Just research, you know” He finished in a stutter as Sean’s eyes grew bigger and bigger. 

Silence….and then Sean nodded. Setting down his beer, Axl moved towards the middle of the couch as Sean did the same. Their knees bumped and Axl started giggling. As he saw Sean tilt his head a bit, the giggling stopped. This was it, this was really happening!

Sean was ready to go, make your move Axl! Taking one last deep breath, Axl moved his hand up to Sean’s face. Enjoying the gruff feel, he moved closer until their lips were just inches apart. He tore his eyes away from his best friend’s lips, looking for some kind of hesitation in Sean’s eyes. But there wasn’t any. Sean’s half-lidded eyes were focussed on his in an intense stare off, before closing completely. Taking that as his final cue, Axl moved forward and closed the space between them. Lips on lips was nothing new to Axl, he’d kissed numerous girls over the years. But never had it felt like this. Sure, he’d seen the movies with popping feet and fireworks and all that (Sue was obsessed with happily ever after’s, ok? It’s not like he’d pick those movies himself) but those were just movies. In reality, kissing had always just been fun. A nice feeling, a good way to pass the time and definitely a good way to feel a girl up. But this, this was something else. Breaking the kiss, Axl leaned back. He kept his eyes closed, not ready yet to face Sean. What if he hadn’t felt anything? What if this truly had just been an experiment from his point of view. 

‘Axl? Man, that bad huh?” Sean asked unsure and Axl could feel the couch move. Sean was getting up, getting away. No, not again!

Opening his eyes, Axl saw Sean walking back into the kitchen, beer bottle in hand. Getting up, he quickly made his way over, blocking Sean’s way. Axl mind went back to the numerous times he’d done so before, playing basketball. Sean in those baggy shorts, his hair a mess. Especially that summer before their senior year. It had been so hot that year that their shirts were gone within the first five minutes of every game. He’d had some weird dreams that year, sure, but he’d never expected they’d bring him here. Into his best friends kitchen, a few years later, ready to take the biggest leap of his life. 

He took Sean’s beer bottle and put it on the table next to him, never breaking eye contact. Sean’s face was a flurry of emotions and Axl could swear he saw a dash of hope dancing around in those eyes. It’s now or never…

Axl moved his left hand up Sean’s arm and shoulder before placing it softly on the back of Sean’s neck. Smiling up at his best friend, he pulled Sean’s head down before crushing their lips back together. As Sean’s hands found their way to Axl’s waist, Axl couldn’t help but smile into the kiss. Leaning back slightly, he let out a breathless laugh as he moved his hand up into Sean’s hair. “Best research ever…”


End file.
